Detection of cows carrying a persistently Pestivirus (BVDV) infected foetus

Summary

Persistently infected (PI) calves carried by non-PI dams are pivotal for the maintenance of BVD virus (bovine pestivirus) in cattle populations and are hitherto undetectable before they are born. Female cattle are often traded when they are pregnant and the possibility of buying in a PI-carrying (Trojan) dam presents an appreciable biosecurity risk for the purchaser.
Up until now, detection of a PI calf has to solely rely on post-natal diagnosis and detection of BVD virus in the calf, often by testing ear notches with antigen capture ELISA or PCR. The present study created BVD PI calves, followed and monitored their dams throughout gestation and developed a testing protocol, based on antibody-detection in the dam that can differentiate the PI-carrying dam from her non-PI carrying counterparts.
 
B.CMM.0160 Diagnosis calf BVDV PI (Uni Adelaide)
Adelaide Uni and MLA developed a pre-test BVDV ELISA (proof of concept) to improve the capability of the current BVDV test to better diagnose or clear calves of BVDV.  The test was protected by patent seeking to leverage further interest and investment from commercialisers towards full validation and delivery of the test for Australian producers.  Uni Adelaide road-showed the test to laboratories and potential investor, however, were unable to secure further investment.  A manuscript providing the technical information to run the pre-test has been published, so that all laboratories and research institutions can improve and deliver the pre-test.  Refer to related project and final report: B.AHE.2014 Detection of cows carrying a persistently BVDV (pestivirus) infected foetus.  Appendix 3 (within the Final Report) provides the manuscript on how to reproduce the BVDV pre-test